1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to tissue analysis and, more particularly, to sensor devices capable of in-situ tissue analysis, such as tissue contrast or differentiation in connection with, for instance, fine needle aspiration biopsy procedures.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Clinical diagnosis of thyroid cancer can be very challenging, inasmuch as malignant tumors need to be differentiated from benign nodules. With ultrasound characteristics of benign and malignant nodules being similar, fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is typically relied upon for final diagnosis of the thyroid nodules, which are observed in about 20% of the general U.S. population. With the small size of the nodules, FNA biopsy is typically performed with a 20-27 gauge needle attached to a 10 mL syringe for suction of thyroid tissue, which is then examined by a cytologist.
The fine needles used in FNA biopsy procedures make precise sampling possible. Specifically, typical needle sizes allow the biopsy tool to be used in close proximity to areas that should not be disturbed or touched. Collateral damage to nearby regions that may otherwise be caused by insertion of larger needles is then hopefully minimized.
Despite these potential advantages, the FNA biopsy procedure is challenging in itself because of the precision required in recovering a sample from the small target volumes. To aid this, conventional ultrasound imaging is performed in real time, especially for those nodules that are difficult to palpate or contain complicated solid and cystic areas. Past attempts to provide such real-time guidance via such imaging alone have introduced significant complexity, requiring special training and equipment that only limited hospitals can afford, yet are not always effective. At least 2-5% of FNA biopsies are read as non-diagnostic because of improper sampling.